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@ Meister - Mind if I borrow the Vandam-tan idea? Only this time, it's the males who get chibified. Their personalities get over exaggerated. Ichika is borderline too dumb to live, Irish doesn't talk and has a constant perma-scowl and Kyuukai is a gun nut who keeps talking about guns and weaponry.

@zero: you hit it on the nail, that's the angle I was aiming for. And she's doing it in a ridiculously roundabout way...

@eras: have fun with it!

Oh yeah, chibi Karon lives on Riz's head for a time being, then later when they try to return Karon to normal, they end up switching places. Chibi Riz suffers from identity crisis, and has multiple personalities, almost all of them tsunderes: Shana, Nagi, Taiga, Aria, list goes on...

Other characters have their personalities warped for no reason what so ever. Like Erika is a trash-talking yandere queen bitch who likes tenderizing meat, Max uses his talents to stalk Pillai, Browning is a caring and completely dere teacher. Irish appears dressed like Accelerator, and Karon appears in Last Order form. And the madness continues.

Also, Box-kun appears in the fic because I can never have enoughes Boxes in Vandam.

Personality:
Most people see Croixas as the stereotypical mad scientist, all for science and none for humanity. For the most part this is true, but he does have morals. It's just that these morals are pretty ambiguous making him appear, so as to put it ever so lightly “eccentric”. He is mostly out to have fun but like most men his age, he has an unhealthy habit of being a proud consumer of alcohol and nicotine. He's generally a tidy person but his research gets the best of him so visitors regularly mistake him for a bum when coming into contact with him for the first time while he's resting or out cold from over exertion in the lab.

Croixas again shows his eccentricity as in his words, “I am a scientist but before that, a man. Therefore I must give in to baser urges, like boobies.” cue nosebleed and giggles. Croixas lechery can be said to be legendary to people in the same circle as he. He would hit on any female given that they are within ten meters of him and no older than himself. Young girls are also warned to be wary of him as Croixas seems to have a preference for those in their mid-teens to their preteens. The only woman he's shown interest in without really being overly perverted is Shinonono Tabane. This is due to his respect for her and her work on the Infinite Stratos. All this despite not having ever met or seen Shinonono Tabane, ever.

Skills:
Even though people label him as a mad scientist, Croixas is actually an engineer. His educational attainment only gives him an official expertise in aerospace engineering. However, his undocumented studies and numerous unpublished papers recovered from his office have garnered him the respect of many a scientist he's worked with as a significant authority in the sciences of applied physics, theoretical physics, chemistry, human physiology and computer programming. Croixas is also seen as a genius by many and by a certain few as the male equivalent of Shinonono Tabane.

Croixas is the creator of the AE. The AE was built to mirror the capabilities of an IS without having a restriction of having it useable by women only. Having been built based on general information that was released on IS but having no idea how to replicate the IS core, the AE is very much inferior in many ways to its mother design. It lacks the quantizing capability, artificial intelligence support and self-evolution of an IS but PIC, anti-gravity flight, hyper sensor, and energy weapon technologies have been well implemented into the development of the AE.

Despite the many things that the AE lack to make it a match for the IS, it also sports certain technologies that are beyond the technological level of the IS in general. One of these is the neuro-signal quantum connection system. This allows a person to directly control a machine with their mind, in the form of having a direct mental command input interface to said machine. This was made to make up for the incapability of AE to quantize, allowing the pilot to have the AE fly to them or flying by itself nearby without the pilot having to be actually there.

A second technology that AE has that IS lacks is the monopole engine. The monopole engine was actually the main project that Croixas was working on and it was considered the best alternative to the lack of IS core. The IS core which served as the main processing unit and the power source of the exo-suit had to be replaced with something that could provide the suitable amount of energy to power all of the advanced systems. The monopole engine delivers on this and more. To be perfectly honest the monopole engine was actually a theoretical concept made real only through Croixas insane ingenuity. The monopole engine can be regarded as a scientific impossibility. A self-perpetuating engine that has a 100% efficiency. As of now, only Croixas has the knowledge to create the monopole engine. This makes Croixas the only one able to create a proper AE.

Personal History:
Croixas was born to a regular family in Germany. Here he turned out to be just like any other boy, mischievous and completely wild. However his academics stood out from the rest. He was discovered to be a prodigy, one that soaked up information like a sponge. It was only due to his attitude of fun first before anything else that prevented him from reaching his full potential. All that changed in college when he met a small Japanese girl. She was also a prodigy who was now on a temporary foreign exchange program of a university level despite being only at an age of twelve. Circumstances were awkward and the two ended up conversing after a normally embarrassing mishap. The two debated on many things from the silly, to the serious, to things that even scholars could barely comprehend or wanted to grasp at. Croixas despite being very smart and older than the girl never won a single debate. The little girl told him, “Maybe your brain isn't flawed after all, maybe it's the way you use it that's flawed.”. Everyday since the first meeting, Croixas would read books upon books. Encyclopedia upon encyclopedia. Everyday he would meet the girl to a debate and everyday he would lose. She became something of a goal to him. This continued on to the last day of the fourth week since they met. On that day, Croixas was overjoyed, he knew he would win this debate. He had found proof of feasibility and possibility of a perpetual perfect engine. It was then he learned that she already left with her one month study sojourn ended. Croixas swore to himself that day that he would make that engine real and let the world know so that it could reach that little girl that inspired him so that he had finally won one of their debates.

This perpetual perfect engine would soon come to be known as the monopole engine but due to the emergence of IS, his research was rendered obsolete and government funding pulled out of what was once a promising project. Their reason being that despite the greater applications of the monopole engine, the IS was already in existence and the monopole engine was only almost proven. Croixas didn't care and continued his research through any means necessary.

Despite its name, the AE was developed as a weapon. Croixas was employed by a terrorist group known as HustleBack. HustleBack was composed of people who hated the idea of the IS. Originally a group of soldiers outdated and severely discharged due to their discontent behavior of the Infinite Stratos as a potential superweapon. These battle-hardened, combat traumatized soldiers were all gathered by a warmonger by the name Algaris Milhoff.

In exchange for funding the monopole engine project, Croixas was to develop the AE for the use of HustleBack. However, during one operation Algaris suffered major injuries. It was here that Croixas was commissioned additionally to save Algaris life by implanting cybernetic prosthesis into the body parts that were beyond saving. This solidified Croixas position amongst the ranks of HustleBack.

It his time in the organization that Croixas met and came to work with Rong who was assigned as a new potential candidate for piloting the AE. Thing was, for all its power the AE was missing a crucial piece of equipment, an AI support system that could regulate all the information that came with such a complex machine. At best, Croixas could only create integrated support processors into the AE parts that went along with their NQCS. This resulted in an inferior OS which could not properly support the non-invasive nerve-machine link that the AE inherited from the IS due to lack of fine-tuning to specific nerves., such fine-tuning was usually handled by an IS AI.

Croixas worked closely with Rong who could take the information strain and had been able to completely control the AE at some point in time. The start had been rather stiff but both realized that the other wasn't really working for the organization but their own goals and grew to respect each other as companions. It was at some point that Croixas realized that Rong was going destroy HustleBack. After being threatened by Rong, Croixas merely answered that he was not a member of HustleBack. He was only there to finish the AE and maintain Algaris' cybernetic parts. But since the AE was complete Croixas said that the Swordbreaker was no longer his but Rong's.

Three months before the story starts, Croixas met Fillia Auckburn, an American IS pilot. She had been shot down and captured by Rong under orders of Algaris and was to be used as research material for continued refinement of the AE and fine tuning of the Swordbreaker.

Those three months pass, Rong springs his plan to destroy HustleBack. Croixas escapes in the confusion, destroying all relevant data that he had already memorized or backed-up. He leaves the HustleBack base in Texas without looking back with full faith he would one day meet Rong again.

@eratas: Rong's normalcy in ISA is generally thanks to Fillia but Croixas is the first person that Rong got close to in his 10 years in HustleBack. Technically he would be Rong's first friend but the relationship they have is more "smart ass" and "butt monkey". Rong usually being the butt monkey though Croixas has his idiot ball moments to reverse the roles.

Croixas role other than being a plot point is still majorly undecided.

@ Meister - .......What did I just watch? Nevermind, I don't want to know.

@ Zero and Rain - Revamp of part of Irish's epilogue.

Spoiler:

POV: Irish

Location: Cell

*Drip* *Drip* *Drip*

The sound of falling water was going on for a while now. The cell was dark and had no windows. The sound of air vents were barely audible, a sign that air was being filtered into the room to keep any captive alive.

'So much for heroics'

The operation was a failure and we've accomplished nothing. Everyone's dead but me now.

The dripping is supposed to make me go crazy. The more time I spend here, the harder it becomes to tell how much time passes. Both the floor and the walls of the cell were made of metal, another way to make a prisoner lose nerve using the cold temperature of the room.

'Why are they doing this? If they want to kill me they should've done it already.'

The door to the cell opened and a burly man entered. The uniform he was wearing indicated he had a high position.

"Raaagh!"

I charge towards him and try to ram him as hard as I could.

"Typical"

He held his right arm out and grabbed me by the collar before lifting me off the ground. I felt pain jolt through my body as he pinned me against the wall.

It was futile.

"How did someone like you nearly kill Kyuukai?"

His voice had a shred of amusement in it, as if he couldn't believe what he was saying to me. To be frank, I'm not sure I believe it either.

"..."

I don't answer his question. Better not extend this anymore than it has to be.

"Quiet one are ya? Tell me your name at least"

His voice had a scottish accent to it. Probably transferred here or something.

"The guy you're about to kill."

I wasn't going to fool myself, I knew I was going to die here.

"Cheeky bastard aren't ya?"

"..."

*WHAM*

I feel a punch to my stomach and I resist the urge to vomit out my insides.

"Tough one too" He rubbed his knuckles. "Let's chat for a while."

He let go of me and I slide down to the floor. At this height, it was obvious to anyone that he was a giant compared to most people.

"My names Commander Mactavish, what's yours?"

He held out his hand in a mock show of trying to be friendly. Does he really need to bother with this, what's the point of talking to someone you're going to kill?

"..."

I wasn't going to humor him.

"So, the strong silent type, eh?"

"..."

"Just because yer a little younger than the rest doesn't mean I won't treat ya the same.

"..."

I refuse to look up and continue to try and ignore him. Maybe he'll leave and I can get some time to think before it's over.

"If ya don't tell me, I'll have to ask them to pull the plug on yer friend."

I look up towards him, what was he talking about? Everyone else is dead.

"Some guy we found in the memorial, bugger looked like he was nearin death's door."

"Joshua!"

'He's alive? How did he survive the bomb detonation?'

"Oh! So ya do know him?"

"..."

I shouldn't get too excited, they can use that against me I'm sure.

"Let's be civil. Tell me yer name and let's have a little chat."

"....Irish."

"Fine name, were yer parents drunk when they named ya?"

"Ask them yourself, I don't know"

I had to keep talking. If they had Joshua, then maybe he can get out if I do what they want.

"Right, let's get down to business."

He kneeled down in front of me and I see his face for the first time: Lightly tan with a full head of black hair and blue eyes. A shaggy beard and a scar on his eye were the most defining features.

"I saw the footage of your fight with Kyuukai, not many can do what you did."

"Is there a point to this? If you want more info, I have nothing to tell you.

A knife was pressed against my throat, I guess he hates being interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me..."

"..."

"Let's get to the main point then: How would ya like to work for us?"

'More tricks?'

"....Not a chance"

"Sure ya don't want to change yer mind?"

"Why do you even need someone like me? Like you said, I nearly killed one of your "Heroes"."

"Precisely why, not many can do what ya did. We also know ya disabled those bombs earlier, not an easy thing to do."

'I was right, they're no different from us, willing to do anything to achieve a goal.'

"What do ya say?"

".....I'd kill myself first.""

"It's not you who's gonna die if ya reject our offer."

"What do you mean?"

"Treatin that Joshua fellow is expensive, better spent on training new recruits."

An ultimatum: Give up what I believed in and work for them with Joshua's life as the price.

"...I'll do it"

Joshua's the only thing that matters now. If I die helping them, maybe they'll let him go.

He smiled and released the knife's from my neck before putting it back on the vest he was wearing.

"Excellent, let's meet your partner."

He pulled me up by the neck and made me stand up. He went behind me and released the cuffs on my hands.

'Now!'

I turn around and grab the knife from his vest after my hands were released.

"This again?"

I was being pinned to the wall again with and the knife pressing into my neck. I felt warm liquid dropping down my neck and leaving crimson trails all over my skin. The knife re-opened the wound from earlier.

"Ya don't know when to quit, do ya?"

"..."

"Maybe I should teach ya a lesson on what happens when ya attack someone who's tryin to help ya."

I close my eyes and grit my teeth in preparation for what's about to happen.

"I think that's enough, Commander."

The voice was different. It sounded younger and more feminine.

More footsteps. Another figure entered the room.

"I think you should stop before you go too far."

"Just teaching him a lesson, that's all"

"Then you don't mind if I show this "lesson" to the higher ups?"

She was waving some kind of miniature camera, it looked like she recorded everything that happened the past few minutes.

'What's she doing?'

"Fine..." he let go of me and I collapse onto the floor again. "You deal with him then."

He left the room and left me alone with the other figure in the room. It was obvious he was mad if the stomps and muttering were any indication.

"Sorry about that, I needed to get proof or I couldn't do anything."

The figure stepped closer and kneeled down in front of me. Her red eyes glinted in what little light I could see.

@zero: you hit it on the nail, that's the angle I was aiming for. And she's doing it in a ridiculously roundabout way...

@eras: have fun with it!

Oh yeah, chibi Karon lives on Riz's head for a time being, then later when they try to return Karon to normal, they end up switching places. Chibi Riz suffers from identity crisis, and has multiple personalities, almost all of them tsunderes: Shana, Nagi, Taiga, Aria, list goes on...

Other characters have their personalities warped for no reason what so ever. Like Erika is a trash-talking yandere queen bitch who likes tenderizing meat, Max uses his talents to stalk Pillai, Browning is a caring and completely dere teacher. Irish appears dressed like Accelerator, and Karon appears in Last Order form. And the madness continues.

Also, Box-kun appears in the fic because I can never have enoughes Boxes in Vandam.

Needless to say, it may look familiar to those who has played Ace Combat Assault Horizon, or seen the video about it I posted some pages back.

__________________

"You cannot be bad at watching a movie. You cannot be bad at listening to an album.
...But you can be bad at playing a videogame, and the game will punish you and deny you access to the rest of the videogame."